PRWeek revealed Bell was placed on gardening leave earlier this year (prweek.com, 2 June). This week, the highly rated PR professional set up shop with Polydor Records’ head of publicity Richard Dawes.

The new agency Dawbell will focus on music. It launches with former Outside clients Lewis and Keating on board. Also confirmed as launch clients are Take That and Detroit Social Club – Polydor’s priority new artist for 2010. It is understood Sir Paul McCartney has also followed Bell, who handled media for the former Beatles man throughout his div­orce with Heather Mills.

Bell said: ‘The role of the publicist has changed greatly in the past few years. We are not just press officers, we provide the whole package.’ Dawes said: ‘We want to offer a fresh new service that looks at every aspect of comms.’

Bell said he left Alan Edw­ards’ agency because he wan­ted a new challenge. Entertainment industry sources told PRWeek the split had bec­ome acrimonious, but Bell dec­lined to comment.